Reasons to Invest in Iran

Iran qualifies from many respects to be a good location for investment and doing business. Some of the features are mentioned below: A unique geographical location at the heart of a cross-road connecting the Middle East, Asia and Europe, coupled with many inter –and trans – regional trade, customs ,tax and investment arrangements. Iran is a country of 1.65 million square km in area and a population of close to 78 million. It has direct land or waterway access to 15 countries with a total population of 550 million that surround it. Iran is bordered by Iraq and Turkey on the west; Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Caspian Sea and Turkmenistan on the north; Afghanistan and Pakistan on the east; and the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman on the south. The Persian Gulf gives it waterway access to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE and Oman of course the open waters, while the Caspian Sea provides it with maritime pathways to Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

Vast domestic market with a population of 77 million growing steadily as well as quick access to neighboring markets with approximately 400 million inhabitants. Iran's population is considered young. As much as 54 percent of the population is less than 30 years old. The population growth rate is 1.2 percent per annum.

Representative system of government based on friendly relationship with other nations. Since 1979, the Islamic Republic of Iran has managed to consolidate and centralize its power, cement its authority over the domestic populace, and exercise increasing influence in the Middle East and beyond; all this amidst an ever growing population and escalating economic problems. Yet, the government of Iran has been able to maintain internal political control while pursuing a more assertive foreign policy abroad.

Labor Force

In 2015/16 the economic participation rate of the population aged 10 and above jumped by one percentage point and reached 38.2 percent, consisting of 63.2 percent for men and 13.3 percent for women. The graduation of a large number of university students that previously had chosen to enter higher education—partly to avoid unemploymen and a general aura of optimism about economic improvements following the implementation of the contributed to this significant shift of the population from economically inactive to economically active categories. Out of the 24.7 million economically active individuals, 2.7 million, or approximately 11 percent, were unemployed. As in previous years, the unemployment among women was much higher than among men, and was much higher in urban areas than in rural areas.

Natural Resources

Iran holds the second largest proven natural gas reserves in the world (17 percent of total), next only to Russia, and fourth largest proven oil reserves (10 percent of the world’s), next to Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and Canada. Iran is also rich is many other natural resources, including copper, zinc, cobalt, iron ore, lead, manganese and sulfur.

Infrastructure

Iran has a strong and broad economic infrastructure. The country’s transportation network includes 12,000 km of railway and 220,000 km of roads. Airliners also haul 19 million passengers per year. Iran has nine commercial ports in the south, including Shahid Rajaee Port just north of the Strait of Hormuz that trades with over 80 foreign ports via 35 container lines. Shahid Rajaee Port with its area of 2400 hectares and capacity of 70 million ton a year has been ranked 44th among the top 3500 ports in the world in 2011. Apart from the nine commercial ports in the south by the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea, there are also three commercial ports by the Caspian Sea in the north.

Iran currently has 167 internet servers or 2.12 per one million persons, and 31 percent of the population uses the internet. Land lines number 29 million and mobile phones number 65 million.

Production and Income

In 2013 Iran’s GDP consisted of 9 percent in agriculture, 17 percent in oil and gas, 13 percent in manufacturing and mining, 9 percent in construction and the remaining 53 percent in services. Iran’s GDP in 2014 was estimated by the IMF at $403 billion in current prices and $1,284 billion in purchasing power parity (ppp) terms, resulting in per capita incomes of $5,243 in current prices and $16,236 in ppp terms.

The Iran’s Unique Position in terms of hydrocarbon reserves is as follows: I. Iran is endowed with 155 billion barrels of oil equivalent to 10.9% of the global oil reserves. II. Iran owns 18% of the global natural gas reserves equal to 34 TCM of natural gas. III. Iran’s current exploration projects will lead to a considerable increase in the country’s oil and gas reserves. IV. Presently, 62 onshore oil fields,16 offshore oil fields,20 onshore gas fields, and 2 offshore gas fields are in operation in Iran. V. 26% of hydrocarbon reserves and 50% of natural gas reserves are located across Iran’s common borders with its neighbors.

Biggest Oil and Gas Companies in terms of Hydrocarbon Reserves

National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC)

Since 1951, National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) has been directing and making policies for exploration, drilling, production, research and development, refining, distribution and export of oil, gas and petroleum products. NIOC, with a vast amount of oil and gas resources, is one of the world’s largest oil companies. At the present time, it is estimated that the company holds 155 billion barrels of liquid hydrocarbons and 29 trillion cubic meters of natural gas. With advances in technology and increasing complexities of economic and political relations, NIOC has risen to a privileged status. Therefore, national and regional policies and cooperation with industrial countries in the provision in the supply of energy and stabilizing global oil markets are on the agenda of NIOC. NIOC, in accordance with Article 44 of the Constitution, gives authority to different sectors, while supervising oil industry activities. The company has taken major steps toward establishing business enterprises, funded financial resources for development, helped to update technologies for exploration, drilling and production with reliance on the knowledge of Iranian experts. NIOC consists of seventeen production companies, eight technical service companies, seven managements, six divisions (administrative units) and five organizational units.

National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) The growing need for gas to provide energy and fuel, and the foreign currency resulted from sales and export for investment and launching infrastructural industries in the country, reinforced the idea of bundling gas industry related activities. Therefore, in line with this, and based on the legal statute, NIGC as one of the four major subsidiaries of Iran's Petroleum Ministry was established. Since its establishment, NIGC has gradually achieved capabilities and has managed to have access to various sources and facilities such as experts and efficient human force equipped with scientific and theoretical vision and knowledge; tools, equipment, machinery and various advanced workshops for implementing its operations proportionate with the country economic and social development trend. NIGC has also benefited from gas, which is one of the major fuels used for energy production and providing a part of the required currency of the country. At present, NIGC is carrying out its tasks in compliance with international valid standards on its own.Right now, NIGC is one of the top ten gas companies in the gas industry in the Middle East, and one of the four major subsidiaries of the Petroleum Ministry. Being responsible for providing over 61 percent of the country- required fuel, it has over 45 years experience.The company, in terms of providing gas, has an important position both inside the country and abroad. At present, the number of NIGC permanent staff amounts to 18000 persons; meanwhile, over 18000 contractor staff works with NIGC.

National Iranian Oil Refining & Distribution Company (NIORDC) National Iranian Oil Refining & Distribution Company (NIORDC) was established in 1991, as one of the four main subsidiaries of the ministry of petroleum. NIORDC as part of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) was established on the principle of separating up-stream activities. It has 19 subsidiaries and affiliated companies, including 9 oil existing refineries. It offers its services using 22,000 experienced employees. In view of the increasing demand of petroleum, NIORDC is up to perform expanding, upgrading and optimizing projects for the existing refineries, and constructing new refineries. In addition to crude oil refining, NIORDC’s activities are also focused on engineering, construction and transportation which embodied into three major subsidiaries: NIOPTC, NIOPDC and NIOEC.

National Petrochemical Company (NPC) National Petrochemical Company (NPC), a subsidiary of the Ministry of Petroleum is owned by the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and is responsible for planning, organizing, developing, supporting and leading the country’s petrochemical industry. Founded in 1964, NPC began its activities by operating a small fertilizer plant. Petrochemical industry, as a global industry, plays a special role in Iran’s economy and is considered as the first exporter in the country as well as the second producer in the Middle East. Thus, NPC is committed to maintain and upgrade its place according to the country’s 20-year Vision Plan for 2025. To this end,reaching a production capacity of over 100 million tons through implementing developmental projects with an investment of 40 billion dollars has been set as the goals of the next 5-year Development Plan of the country’s petrochemical industry. This company believes that the most appropriate strategy for such development is participation of private/nongovernmental investors.

Qualitative objectives and policies • Establishment giant petrochemical facilities on the southern borderline to easily accessing international markets. • Utilization of optimized gas sources instead of oil as feedstock for petrochemical complexes. • Increasing the share of nongovernmental investment in petrochemical industry. • Applying and development new technologies in petrochemical industry. • Establishment joint venture petrochemical facilities and service companies with right foreign companies. • Increasing the utilization of ethane and natural gas in petrochemical facilities. • Implementation new petrochemical complexes using methane and ethane as feedstock near the South Pars Special Economic Energy Zone to reduce expenses of transportation.

NPC strategic goals pivoting around its developmental/sovereign role • Development to achieve the country’s 20-year Vision Plan. • Increasing Petrochemical industry share in non-oil export. • Sustainable development of petrochemical industry through Strengthening and completing value chain with a concentration expanding supplementary industries. • Optimizing the use of local facilities and capabilities. • Utilizing comparative-competitive advantages of local and foreign less-developed regions and special economic zones as well asfree-trade zones (Chabahar, Kish, Queshm, Sarakhs, Lavan and …) • Preparing the necessary grounds for local and foreign investment

Steel, weaving, food processing, car, electrical and Electronics Industries are among the key industries in the country.Iran now produces a wide range of manufactured commodities, such as telecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, paper, rubber products, steel, food products, wood and leather products, textiles, and pharmaceuticals. Iran is also known throughout the world for its hand-woven carpets. The traditional craft of making these Persian rugs contributes substantially to rural incomes and is one of Irans’ most important export industries.

The pharmaceuticals, paper, sugar, packaging, and textile segments have been identified as key growth areas of the industrial sector by the Industrial Development & Renovation Organization of Iran. Industrial output continued to grow into 2012, buoyed by the strong mining and steel sectors. Advances in aerospace and agri-business are also firming up the manufacturing sector.

Automotive • Iran produced 1.4 million cars from 2Q2011 to 1Q2012. Total sales, including imported and domestically produced vehicles, totaled $18.8 billion. • A booming auto industry requires a booming auto parts industry. Iran has just that. Now supplying much of the industry’s needs, producers are ramping up exports.

Mining Iran is rich not only in oil and gas, but in mineral deposits’, as well. Iran has the world’s largest zinc reserves and second-largest reserves of copper. It also has important reserves of iron. Uranium, lead, chromate ,manganese, coal and gold .In addition to the major coal mines found in khorasan razavi,kerman,semnan,mazandaran,and gilan, a number of smaller mines are located north of Tehran and in Azarbayjan and Esfahan provinces. Deposits of lead, zinc and other minerals are widely scattered throughout the country. The mines at sar cheshmeh in Kerman province contain the world’s second largest lode of copper ore. The government owns %90 of all mines and related large industries in Iran and would like To attract foreign investment for the development of the mining sector. As per Article 44 of Constitution of Iran, the government has been actively promoting the privatization of all mines.

Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) is the major state-owned holding company. Although 90% of the country’s mines and related large industries are in state hands; the government has stated its intention to further develop the sector through private and foreign investment. Minerals targeted for investment include aluminum, copper, and iron ore. By the end of the current Five-Year Development Plan (FYDP), which began in 2010, the government expects to boost the mining sector’s contribution to GDP to 1.2% as well as boost total mineral production to 500 million tons. With 12% of the Persian Gulf region’s aluminum reserves, the implementation of development projects could boost production to 1.5 million tons by 2025 and turn Iran into one of the top 10 producers in the world. The private sector is also being mobilized to get the mining sector to work with modern equipment.

• There are approximately 5,000 mines in operation in Iran, with 12 metals and 36 non-metal ores currently being exploited. • Increased investment and private sector involvement will see mineral production increase in the coming years as modern machinery and equipment are put to use. • Iran is one of the top 10 global producers of iron ore, with over 35 million tons of output per year. • Iran’s precious stones have become an object of admiration for onlookers as well as a profitable industry for the country as it aims to diversify its economic strengths. • As one of the 15 most mineral-rich countries in the world, Iran enjoys export links with 159 countries, including Iraq, China, the UAE, India, and Afghanistan. Mining products represent over 30% of the country’s non-oil exports, and the sector also employs 100,000 people directly and up to half a million indirectly. • Developments in the country’s base metals segment, including copper, aluminum, zinc, and lead, also continued over the last 12 months. Iran has the world’s biggest zinc reserves, second largest copper reserves, and ninth largest iron reserves. • Iran is also rich in zinc and lead, with over 220 million tons of proven reserves. Production remains below 200,000 tons for zinc and lead, with just under half exported.

Investment Facilities %80 of the income from producing and mining activities ,which is derived and declared by producing and mining enterprises of cooperatives of private sectors of whom exploitation licenses are issued , or with whom extraction and sale contracts are concluded, from the beginning of the year 2002,on words by relevant ministries ,shall be exempt from the tax set forth in the article 105 here of for a term of 4 years beginning from the date of exploitation or extraction the less developed regions ,the exemption shall apply to %100 of the income for a term of years.

Transportation

Ministry of Roads and Urban Development of the Islamic Republic of Iran is responsible for all kinds of transportation. The Ministry by itself has got five important sub-sectors as follows which undertake implementation and operation of transport infrastructures:

• Company for Construction and Expansion of Transport Infrastructures

• Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization

• The Railways Company of the Islamic Republic of Iran

• Ports and Maritime Organization

• Civil Aviation Organization

- Considering the key role of transportation in economic development of the country especially foreign trade and transit operation, Islamic Republic of Iran approved in 2000 its general policies in transportation sector with focus on the following priorities:

- Establishment of transport system and regulating portion of each sub- sector through giving priority to the rail transportation and with regard to the following aspects:

• Economic considerations

• Decrease in energy consumption

• Decrease in environmental pollution

• Increase of safety

• Balancing between infrastructures and fleet, navigation equipment and demand

• Increase in productivity at the highest level through promoting transport modes and management and human resources and information.

-According to the country’s fifth Five-Year Development Plan (FYDP), the Iranian government allocated approximately $34 billion to the transportation sector in 2010. With renewed interest in connecting international points by land, sea, and air, the government had utilized about 80% of these funds by 2012.

-The amount of cargo and passengers traveling along these routes has increased significantly in the past decade, with airline companies seeing some of the largest growth. In 2011, 27 million travelers and businesspeople passed customs, and the government surpassed its passenger and cargo targets by over 100%.

-Rail and road networks are being focused on as the key for a streamlined transport corridor from east to west, and in 2012 there has been an increase in the number and quality of a variety of valuable connection routes both throughout the country and extending beyond its borders.

-Sea freight capacity has steadily increased since 2009, on a growth pattern that has been accelerated by better quality services and faster loading and unloading times. By 2011, Iran’s TEU handling capacity reached 2.8 million, up from 1.7 million TEUs in 2007. Over the same period, passenger traffic by sea displayed 21% growth, making Iran an increasingly accessible destination for

a variety of both new and loyal markets.

Models of Transportation:

1-Road Transport

-In total, Iran’s road network covers a distance of 180,958 kilometers, with 9,124 kilometers of paved highways and freeways. In 2011, the government launched projects to construct 6,500 kilometers of additional roads, many of them designed to enhance the travel experience beetween major international cities and Tehran, as well as cut transportation costs and times.

- Islamic Republic of Iran has given a priority to construct, rehabilitate and upgrade the existing roads of Asian Highway Network and has made noticeable measures in this regard.

-Ministry of Roads and Urban Development has paied attention to public- private partnership in construction and completion of transport infrastructure projects. In road sector, many freeways, highways projects are being constructed or rehabilitated on BOT, Partnership or other methods.

2-Railway Transport:

- The rail network of the Islamic Republic of Iran is connected to middle East and Europe railways from West (Razi border), to Azerbaijan railway from North West (Jolfa border), to Caspian sea and ports of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Russia from North (ports of Amirabad, Neka and Turkmenistan), to Central Asian, Russia and China railways from North East (Sarakhs border), to Pakistan railway from South East (Mirjaveh border) and to Persian Gulf and open seas of the world from South (Bandar Abbas and Imam Khomeini ports).

-Railroads currently stretch across 11,760 kilometers of the country, with 3,352 kilometers currently under construction. With a wider range and increasingly useful routes, passenger traffic increased 5.3% in 2011. In 2011, 27.7 million people used the country’s rail networks, and 32.8 million tons of goods were transported, accounting for 9% and 11%, respectively, of the country’s total transportation.

-In accordance with the fifth FYDP, the government intends to add 15,000 additional kilometers of rail to its existing network by 2015. To help achieve this goal, the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development worked to attract €17 billion in FDI, much of which will be used to expand the rolling stock of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways (RAI) and its associate companies, Raja Passenger Train and Railway Transportation.

3- Civil Aviation :

-In civil aviation sector, there are 54 airport in the country ,which 8 of them are international

- Iran Air is the national carrier. Today, the company services 6 million passengers per year, many of them flying on one of the 100 daily domestic flights to 28 destinations.

- Domestic passenger traffic has increased by an average of 7% over the last 10 years, and at the same time international air travel in Iran has grown by a robust 9% per year, which is far above the world average.this growth trend will continue for at least the next few years. With 3,300 employees and growing, the expansion of the business may lead to a bright future.

4-MaritimeTransportation:

-promotion of capacity of ports of Chabahar and Shahid Rajaee in South and Amirabad in North as well as establishment of shipping lines in the region are among measures taken in the framework of transport cooperation vision which shall deeply affect transportation and trade in Asia and the Pacific.Ports of Shahid Rajaee, Amirabad and Anzali enjoy outstanding location in transit route of the North- South corridor. In addition, ports of Imam Khomeini, Shahid Bahonar, Lengeh, Boushehr, Chabahar and Noshahr have got their own unique potentials.

-The nominal capacity of commercial ports grew to over 150 million tons in 2010-2011, marking an increase of 5.6% over the previous period.

Leading this growth is Bandar Abbas, Iran’s main container port in the country and largest hub in the Persian Gulf. In 2010, the port’s cargo ally and 52traffic reached 2.5 million TEUs, accounting for nearly 95% of the country’s total TEU handling activity. In addition, the port accounted for 37% of the country’s total transit traffic in 2011.

. 5-Transit Operation:

-Islamic Republic of Iran has targeted in transit sector in a way that it shall reach to figure of 40 million tons of goods by the end of Fifth Economic Development Program (2015).

Agricultural is one of the most important sectors of the Iranian economy, accounting about 11%of GDP, 23%of the employed population and 15%of the foreign exchange revenues (form nonoil exports). Agricultural and animal husbandry products have always provided the major non-oil export items such as pistachios, raisins and even carpets (the wool or silk used in them).

About %20 of the land Iran is arable .the main food-producing areas are in the Caspian region and in valleys of the northwest. Some northern and western areas support rain-fed agriculture, while other areas require irrigation for successful crop production.

Agri-food & Packaging

• Iran is one of the most populous countries in the region, and so there was a real long-term strategic intent from the side of international companies to make an entry into this market

• A total of 12,198 entities are engaged in the Iranian food industry, or 12% of all entities in the industry sector. The sector also employs approximately 328,000 people or 16.1% of the entire industry sector’s workforce, according to the Iranian Food Industry Organization.

• Investments now total $7.7 billion, or 18% of total investment in the industry sector. Sector exports range around $1 billion per year, and the main export items are confectionary, dairy products, tomato paste, fruit juice and concentrate, mineral water, and pasta.

• The main export regions include the Middle East, Central Asia and other CIS nations, Europe, and South America. The country is also increasingly importing food technology, including processing and packaging equipment.

• The beverages sector is growing quickly in Iran as part of an expanding FMCG scene. As local consumption increases, players in the sector look to gain market share while improving supply and quality.

Investment Facilities

1- The income derived from all agriculture and horticulture activities, fish farming, bee-keeping, hunting and fishing, sericulture, revival of pastures and forests, is exempt from payment of tax. All the natural and juridical persons (Iranian and Foreign) can enjoy above mentioned exemption at the outset their activities.

2- %100 of the income derived exportation of industrial finished goods and products of agricultural sector(including forming ,horticulture husbandry, poultry ,fishery, forest and pasture products) and its conversional-signal and complementary industries and also %50 of the income earned from exportation of other goods that are exported for achieving the objectives of the exportation of non-oil goods, shall be exempt from tax. A List of goods subject to this article, in the course the of each development plan based on proposal of the ministries of economic affairs and finance, commerce, jihad-e-agricultural and industries and mines, shall be approved by the council of ministers.

Iran’s trade has been strongly affected by the sanction, both in value and in terms of country partners. Limited by the sanctions, the volume of oil exports dropped from a daily average of … million barrels in 2013 to 1.4 million barrels in 2014 and oil export revenues fell from its height of $119 billion in 2011 to only $65 billion in 2013 and even lower in 2014 – the year in which oil prices fell sharply. In 2013, non-oil exports amounted to $31.1 billion, while imports amounted to $49.1 billion. Petrochemicals constituted over a third of Iran’s non-oil exports, followed by other manufacturing products, agricultural products, and metallic and mineral ores.

Sanctions have also shifted Iran’s trade partners away from Europe and toward Asia. Germany, France and Italy that for many years ranked among the top five trade partners have now left the list; and the ranks of Switzerland and UK have also fallen. As can be seen in the pie charts below, in 2014the top five sources of imports into Iran were China, UAE, Korea, Turkey and India while ten years earlier they had been UAE, Germany, France, Italy and China. In other words, Germany, France and Italy have been replaced by Korea, Turkey and India. The new pattern emerged after Iran was barred from exporting oil to most countries and repatriating its export earnings from those few destinations, and thus had to resort to barter trade and settle for lower quality merchandise with the few countries – notably, China, India, Japan, Korea and Turkey -- it could export its oil to.

Iran’s financial market is heavily bank-oriented and businesses have sourced 89 percent of their financing requirements from the banks. As percentage of the GDP, bank deposits are 73 and bank loans are 61; and 20 percent of bank claims are on public sector. Foreign assets constitute 14 percent of the banks’ assets and foreign exchange loans and deposits constitute 11 percent of their liabilities. The high share of non-performing loans to total loans, estimated at 15-20 percent, constitutes a major risk to the banking industry, especially since Iranian banks are heavily dependent on interest incomes.

Iran’s capital market is small and limited in depth and spread compared to that of the industrialized countries. The global capital market in 2011 is estimated at $212 trillion, consisting of $157 trillion (74 percent of total) in debt instruments and $55 trillion (26 percent of total) in stocks. The size of Iran’s capital market is only around $100 billion, consisting almost exclusively of stocks; the structured debt market is very small, mainly because the necessary instruments consistent with Islamic banking have not been devised or properly utilized. Iran’s capital market is estimated to finance only 11 percent of the capital requirement of businesses, with the remaining 89 percent being financed by domestic banks.

Iran’s insurance market is underdeveloped although it ranks 42nd in the world in terms of the value of total premiums. Iran’s per-capital insurance premium is $84; life insurance premiums constitute 10 percent of the total; and the country’s Insurance Index (premiums as percentage of the GDP) is 1.73. All these three indices are below their respective global averages.

The labor law that was legislated in the aftermath of the 1979 Revolution is fairly unhelpful to business, but formal and informal ways have been devised to ameliorate its negative effects. Many positive measures have also been taken to make the country more business friendly, including streamlining procedures for business registration, enforcing contracts, obtaining construction permits, company taxation and trade inspection.

Enactment of the new Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Act (FIPPA) To substitute the former Law Concerning Attraction and Protection of Foreign Investments in Iran (LAPFI) by providing full security and legal protection to foreign investments based on transparency and international standards.http://www.bicc.org.uk/downloads/fippa.pdf